The use of a magnetic field to levitate a diamagnetic material is known in the prior art. Magnets have been used to levitate diamagnetic objects such as water, frogs, peanuts, and the like. Efforts to use magnetic levitation in medical therapy have been attempted. U. S. Patent Application 2009/0292285 discloses a system for reducing pressure on high-pressure load areas of a body, including a plurality of bone anchors and a support structure. For example, metal rods are attached to the hip or shoulder bones to support the weight of the body during the act of sitting or sleeping so that the soft tissue in that local area can maintain circulation. Opposing magnetic fields, produced by anchor coupling elements and support coupling elements levitate the body above the support structure. However, this system requires surgical installation of the rods into the bones. The lengthy time required for ossification and integration of the rod in the bone, and the protrusion of the rod through the skin area, usually produces a serious problem of infection.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,827,993 discloses a magnetic levitation system for immobile patients in a wheelchair. Based on a multi-pole configuration of permanent magnets in the pelvis, a corresponding multi-pole configuration for magnet repulsion is placed below the patient, typically as part of the wheelchair. This levitation system removes the possibility of infection because the magnets are completely mounted against the patient's bone structure and sealed with flesh. The patient will be magnetically levitated while sitting or lying in the opposing magnetic field that is electrically controlled to handle the dynamic load of normal life functions. The combination of an external permanent magnet field and electromagnetic field requires the least amount of stored energy for dynamic control on a device such as a wheel chair. Unfortunately, this system also requires major surgery for implantation of magnets.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,317,682 and U.S. Patent Application 2010/0036394 demonstrate how to use a three dimensional magnetic field to control the movement of a diamagnetic medical device. A strong magnetic field parallel to the gravitational force is used to levitate the medical device in space while smaller magnetic fields perpendicular to the gravitational force are used to overcome drag force of moving the medical device inside a body cavity. Even smaller alternating electromagnetic fields are used to locate the position and orientation of the device in the body and for communication with sensors on the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,364 discloses a system for diamagnetic manipulation of an object in a surrounding medium in a low gravity environment. If a diamagnetic object is suspended in a fluid that has a lower diamagnetic value than the object, it will move away from the electromagnet when the magnet is turned on. Thus, with a plurality of electromagnets, the position and orientation of the object can be controlled in space.
U.S. Patent application 2006/0162452 discloses an inertial sensor based on diamagnetic levitation. The inertial sensor has a support means and a two dimensional array of permanent magnets. A diamagnetic element faces the array of magnets and through diamagnetic levitation the diamagnetic material constitutes the inertial sensor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,850,137 discloses an apparatus and method for levitating a diamagnetic material using a magnetic field produced by a superconducting magnet. Concentric superconducting coils produce magnetic fields when energized with current. The magnetic fields of the coils combine to produce an operational magnetic field for levitating the diamagnetic material inside a central bore.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,360,999 discloses a method for suspending a plate to generate vibrations in the plate at approximately 35 Hz with a magnitude of 0.5 g. The plate is suspended with permanent magnetic levitation and the vibrations are created with electromagnetic repulsion and attraction. The method can be used for the treatment or prevention of musculoskeletal indications.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,106,488 and 5,043,101 demonstrate the use of sub-micron size ferromagnetic particles coated with an organic polymer carrier to kill cancer cells by intracellularly heating the cell to 45.5 degrees Celsius. The ferromagnetic particles will inductively heat up in a megahertz alternating magnetic field such as generated by an MRI machine. The organic polymer promotes the mobility of the particles in the blood stream and absorption of the particles by the cells. U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,366 demonstrates the use of sub-micron size paramagnetic particles as MRI contrast agents. The use of these submicron particles can have a negative effect on hemoglobin so that the blood can build up heat or electrostatic charge with extended exposure to an alternating magnetic field.
At present, there are no suitable diamagnetic levitation systems to levitate a human body for medical treatment and to position the human body, or parts of the human body, within the magnetic field to facilitate treatment and healing.